*The Federal Government of Nigeria continues to disallow unvaccinated civil servants from accessing their offices, as security operatives bar unvaccinated visitors from government buildings in Abuja, FCT

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

As the Nigerian authorities ramp up the rate of COVID-19 vaccinations amid the outbreak of Omicron variant, the Federal and Lagos State governments intensified enforcement of their directives on mandatory vaccinations for all eligible Nigerians.

绿帽献妻 reports Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, has restated this directive in the West African country.

The Federal Government, Wednesday, December 1, 2021, had disallowed unvaccinated civil servants from accessing their offices, as security operatives barred visitors that were not vaccinated from government buildings in Abuja, FCT.

Mr. Boss Mustapha, Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19

In the same mould, the Lagos State Government (LASG) has declared that all attendees of social events in the state must present their vaccination cards or proof of negative COVID-19 tests henceforth.

Recall Mustapha, October this year, had said聽 civil servants without proof of vaccination and negative Coronavirus tests would not be allowed to enter their offices as from December 1.

As a follow-up action to its earlier directive in this regard, report indicates the Federal聽 Government Wednesday, December 8, continued to enforce its compulsory vaccinations order when it stopped contractors, journalists, and other regular visitors from entering various government MDAs in the FCT.

Responding to a question on whether the restriction of unvaccinated workers ought to be extended to journalists and others on essential duties, Mukhtar Muhammad, Head of Technical Secretariat of the PSC on COVID-19 said, 鈥渋t is not out of order,鈥� The Punch report also stated.

Affected in the latest enforcement are over 10 Federal Government ministries are located in the Federal Secretariat complex and the Office of the Civil Service of the Federation, according to report.

These include ministries located in the secretariat, such as the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Special Duties, Ministry of Aviation, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Police Affairs and Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

Others are agencies at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), including the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

A section of the Federal Secretariat, Abuja

On the need for proof of vaccinations by civil servants and visitors, it was gathered a security agent at the Federal Secretariat Abuja, said: 鈥淲e were asked not to allow anyone without vaccination cards to gain access. Some people who are civil servants could easily pose as visitors or contractors in order to gain access.

鈥淪o, the instruction is that anyone without vaccination cards should not be allowed in.鈥�

Also, it was observed that both guests and employees of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development were asked to show their vaccination cards before being allowed entry into the FMARD鈥檚 building.

Employees of the ministry who had been vaccinated gained entry into the ministry鈥檚 building located at Area 11 in the Federal Capital Territory, report noted.

The development was said to have made guests who had yet to be vaccinated to leave the vicinity, to avoid being denied entry at the entrance of the building.

Essence of barring unvaccinated visitors from government facilities?

Marycelin Baba, a Professor of Medical Virology, University of Maiduguri, North-East Nigeria, in an interview stated that barring unvaccinated visitors from government facilities 鈥渕ight help to promote rate of vaccination among Nigerians,鈥� according to report.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State

According to the expert, allowing unvaccinated visitors to the government facilities might endanger the lives of vaccinated workers.

However, Victor Giwa, a human right lawyer, was quoted to have stated that it was wrong of the government to make such a move, adding that 鈥渕edical issues are personal.鈥�

Giwa said: 鈥淢y position is that the issue of the medical status of any individual is personal.

鈥淭elling anyone to present his or her vaccination card or PCR test is a breach of his own right to private life.鈥�

Social event organisers must obtain safety clearance in Lagos 鈹�Governor

In a related development, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has released fresh COVID-19 guidelines for social events and gatherings in the festive season in the Centre of Excellence.

绿帽献妻 reports Governor Sanwo-Olu noted that all social events in the state must be duly registered to obtain an event safety clearance from the Lagos State Safety Commission Web site.

Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy,聽 in a statement issued Tuesday, December 7, 2021, said the governor maintained that every attendee of a social gathering must now present their evidence of vaccination.

Sanwo-Olu stated: 鈥淲here possible, events should be held in an outdoor space. Occupancy limit at any event must not exceed 60 per cent of maximum design capacity of the commission.

鈥淓very attendee of a social gathering must present their vaccination cards or digital bar code page, showing at least first dose but preferably double dose full vaccination. In unvaccinated people, a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction within 72 hours will be an exemption.

Attendees to be tested regardless of vaccination status

Further still, the Lagos State Governor declared: 鈥淓verybody irrespective of vaccination status must be subject to Rapid Diagnostic test (antigen) to be conducted at the event venue within 24 hours prior to the event at the laboratories listed below. (Request for rapid tests at the venue requires an application through the LSSC).

鈥淯nder 18 years of age are unvaccinated and the above applies. Guests and service providers with high temperature (above 37.5) are to be politely turned back and referred to paramedics or the emergency response team on ground.鈥�

He also said that all-inbound passengers who refused to adhere to COVID-19 protocols in Lagos would be prosecuted.

The governor noted: 鈥淲hile it is a stringent requirement that all inbound passengers perform a day two test within 48 hours of arrival into the country; and an additional day seven PCR test for all partially or unvaccinated inbound passengers, we cannot stress enough how important the strict adherence to these protocols are.

鈥淭hese tests are mandatory to assist the state monitor the inflow of positive passengers, which we have identified as a veritable source of our waves and community spread.

鈥淏ased on this, we will commence the prosecution of those who refuse to submit themselves for these mandatory tests by blacklisting their passports for a period of one year. This would be carried out in partnership with the Presidential Steering Committee.

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